DaytonDailyNews.com

OXFORD — Daniel Raudabaugh's strong arm has tipped the scales in his favor. The 6-foot-4 junior from Coppell, Texas, is the new starting quarterback for the Miami RedHawks.

Miami coach Shane Montgomery

announced Tuesday at his weekly press conference that Raudabaugh would start in place of Mike Kokal in Saturday's 3:30 p.m. game at the University of Colorado.

"One of the reasons we made the change, Daniel is more of a traditional drop-back passer with a stronger arm," Montgomery said.

"He gets the ball out of his hands a little quicker," he added. "Linebackers play a significant amount of (Colorado's) one-on-one coverage, and by getting the ball out of his hands quicker, that gives Daniel an advantage there."

Kokal had started 14 of Miami's previous 15 games, and although he spent much of last season under heavy pressure — the RedHawks ranked next-to-last in NCAA Division I in pass protection — he was among the nation's top 20 quarterbacks in total offense.

This year Kokal has struggled at times. In the 47-10 loss to Cincinnati on Saturday, he lost a fumble on the first play from scrimmage. Then with 9:41 left in the second quarter, he was intercepted.

With Miami trailing 23-0, Raudabaugh was summoned. He guided the RedHawks to their only 10 points that day on the next two drives.

Montgomery noted that Kokal hurt his thumb, "the one he injured in fall camp," against the Bearcats but added that it played no part in his decision to put Raudabaugh in the game.

"We'll check Mike's progress throughout the week to see if he can practice much," Montgomery said. "His swelling did go down ... If Mike's thumb isn't ready, we'll have to get (true freshman) Clay Belton ready."

Kokal first was replaced by Raudabaugh this season in the fourth quarter of Miami's 41-35 overtime loss at Minnesota on Sept. 8. That day, Raudabaugh led a Miami comeback which saw the RedHawks score 17 unanswered points in the final seven minutes of regulation.

Montgomery said he still has confidence in Kokal, whose 208 completions last season were the seventh-best single-season total in school history.

"Mike has been up and down," Montgomery said. "I don't know if in the last couple weeks he's been looking over his shoulder ... I told Mike the other day I still have confidence in him, I think we can win with him."

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.